Explosive powder.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. DONNER, OF OREGON CITY, OREGON, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO JOHN BROSNAN, JR., OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

nxrrosrvn POWDER.

. No Drawing.

Powders; and I 'do declare the following to' be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to explosive powders but more particularly to high explosives of the non-detonating type and to a powderparticularly adapted for use in small arms and cannon and is, therefore what may be termed a propelling powder.

This invention has for its object to produce an explosive powder which can be manufactured with reasonable safety and without injurious efi' ects on the operatives.

A further object of the invention is to provide an explosive powder which is no more sensitive than ordinary powders and which will not produce erosion in the barrels of guns when the same are treated with reasonabl'e'ca-re.

A further object of the invention is to pro-' duce a powder which will safely withstand compression and in which the rapidity of burning in open airwhen ignited depends upon the relative proportions of the ingredients, and upon the extent of granulation. A further object of the invention is to provide an explosive powder, the products of combustion of which are not poisonous.

A further object of the in'v ention is to provide an explosive powder which when properly granulated will give desired muzzle velocity in service guns without exerting pressure in excess of that prescribed for them.

A further object of the invention is to provide an explosive powder which will not unduly heat service guns, which is practically smokeless and which will not unduly foul the bores.

A further object of the invention is to provide an explosive powder which does not require an unduly strong primer for ignition and in which the products of combustion have no injurious chemical action on metals.

A further object of the invention is to provide an explosive powder which will stand Specification o! Letters Iatent.

Patented Feb. e, 1917.

Application filed June 13, 1916. Serial No. 103,568.

all ordinary stability tests, and in which some of the ingredients are soluble in water.

A further object of the invention is to provide an explosive powder which will permit of any desired granulation,

A further object of the invention is to provide an explosive powder which can be machine loaded and in which all of the essen tial ingredients can be produced in any country or locality, which is cheap and easy to manufacture and of the greatest efficiency, but it is to be understood that this invention does not contemplate the use of a relatively large proportion of an oily substance or even a sufficient proportion thereof to render the composition wet or pasty, but on the other hand, I employ such a relatively small proportion of an oily substance that the presence thereof in the composition is negligible from a physical standpoint. The presence of an oily substance in the composition in a sufficient quantity to render the same damp or wet is a positive and decided detriment to the explosive. In the first place, as far as the explosive properties of the oily substance is concerned, it can be saidto be a waste product in the composition as it adds nothing whatever to the explosive properties 'of. the mixture. On the other hand it burns With these objects in view the invention consists in the novel mixture of chemical. ingredients as will be hereinafter fully described. 1 v

In the production of high explosives according to this invention I employa moistening agent such as water, potassium chlorate, a water soluble organic matter, and an oily substance such as crude oil.

By certain modifications in the, relative proportions of these ingredients, I am enabled to produce powders having certain characteristics which adapt them to particular uses.

According to Example 1 which is a small arms powder, I employ the following formula:

' Water 1 and for greatest eflici Potassium chlorate 49%, An organic matter soluble in water 49%, Crude oil 1%.

These ingredients are brought together in content such as sugar, glucose and like o-rganic substances preferably of a sticky character. -This organic matter is mixed in 1% of water'and isheated to the boiling point for several minutes. The oily substance such as crude oil is then added while the mass is still hot and the potassium chlorate is then added to the mass while still hot, the result being a stiff plastic mass which can be readily granulated in the usual manner or otherwise formed. The mass is then dried ata temperatureof 80 F. a

Powder produced according to Example 1 is non-det'onating, not a burstin but-a progressive burning propelling ex-' plosive.

According to Example 2, I mix the above named ingredients according to the following formula to produce a high explosive suitable for projectiles as follows:

Water 1%,

Potassium chlorate 48%,

Water, soluble organic matter 49%,

oily substance such as crude oil 2%..

Powder made according toExample 2i non-detonating, non-explosive by contact, is

very highly explosive when confined only, produces a is not sensitive to shock and powder of high propelling force. 1

Accordingto Example 3 which is particularly adapted as a torpedo powder, I employ.the ingredients according to the following formula:

Water 1%,

Potassium chlorate 53%,

Water soluble organic matter An oily 3 is more sensitive to sho 4 Example 2 has a high bursting force cy should.

granulated and confined. According to Example 4 which is partic-, ularly adapted as an ammunition for large arms, ents but in the Water 2%,

powder I employ the same ingredifollowing proportions:

powder portions of the ingredients all changes and modifications thel-imit and scope of the appended claims. desire to secureby-Letters Patent of the United States is--.

.to allow for a the same.

substance such as crude'oil 1%. Powder produced according to Example k than that under 7 adding potassium. chlorate be. finely land thendryingt esame."

Potassium chlorate 54%,

A soluble organic matter 43%,

An oily Powder produced according to this example should be of large granulation and has greatwp'ropelling force, will not detonate and is particularly efficient for the purpose specified.

Having thus' fully disclosedthe invention and the ingredients forming the explosive powder and having described several examples,

brought together in other and in varying proportions, and-I do not consider myself limited to the exact proportions of the ingradients as specified in the foregoing ex amples, norv doI consider myself limited to the use of the exact ingredients as herein mentioned, but I do consider myself clearly entitled to any changes in the relative pro and in the use of any similar ingredients having the same or like chemical characteristics. I, therefore, consider myself clearly entitled .to any and as'fall within What I claim as new and 1. An explosive powder including a mixture of the following ingredients: water, potassium chlorate, sugar, and crude oil, the

ast mentioned'element being in such small proportion in relation to the composition as quick and ready drying of substance such as crude oil 1%."

it is of course, apparent that the ingredients forming this powder can be 2. An explosive mixture, consisting of a.-

chlorate, sugar and crude oil.

' 3. An explosive mixture, consistin of particles of chlorate, sugar and crude 011, in which the crude oil forms an envelop around the individual particles of chlorate.

4. .The process of producing an explosive compound which consi'sts in',- mixing sugar with water and heating the same, then-adding crude oil to. the-mass While hot, then tothe hot mass In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

, JOHN L. DONNER.

Witnesses:

JOHN L.,LFLETCBJ ER, 6. HUGE Derry. 

